Burned
by Abbey Grimm Dawn
Summary: Everyone said that Rose Weasley was fiery. That she burned with the flames of a thousand suns, that she felt too much. But she didn't care.


**a/n: hello. i love rose. yay. BIG SORRY TO READERS OF SLIPPING. Still trying to upload D:  
This is my inadequate birthday present to _shadows/of/memory. _replace the slashes with "."  
CROOKSHANKS SAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHILE THE DUMBLEDOOR CRIES WISELY.**

* * *

Everyone said that Rose Weasley was fiery. That she burned with the flames of a thousand suns, that she felt too much. But she didn't care. When she loved (she was too intense to _like_, no) she gave her all. And she didn't learn from her mistakes.

* * *

The first time she fell was in third year. Teddy Lupin was coming to Al's house much more than usual. She fancied he only wanted to catch a glimpse of her. It didn't hurt that he began talking to her much more. But she had no idea he was only there to sweeten her up for his wedding with Victoire (who Rose _despised_) as he felt she would make a "cute addition to the bridal party".

Rose told Al about her feelings one day. Oblivious to body language, she didn't see the shadow that passed over his face. She didn't even see anything odd when he spoke to her about how Victoire _dated_ the guy. She only brushed it off as a minor occurrence (didn't you know Rose was hopeless?).

So Rose waited for a confirmation of her wildest hopes and dreams. When Teddy's owl Ollie came to her with a creamy envelope tied to its claws, she didn't hesitate. Gently, to keep the first memento of their love unspoiled, she slit it open, hands shaking. It was as if her subconscious knew what was to happen but her mind wouldn't accept it. So when she read the first few lines:

_You are cordially invited to the wedding of:_

_Teddy Tonks-Lupin_

_and_

_Victoire Delacour-Weasley_

She denied it. She laid in bed for a few hours, ignoring her parents' concerned questions. When it was _perfectly_, _absolutely _certain that no, this was not a nightmare, she walked to the Potters'.

"A-A-Al, did you know?"

He bit his lip.

"I'm so sorry, Rosie."

That was validation enough. Sobbing, she ran to her room and locked herself in for the first time.

* * *

The wedding passed and she slowly picked up the pieces of her shattered heart. It was not whole, it would never be whole again, but it was as close as it would get without amnesia setting in. Then she met Lysander Scamander for the first time.

It was a complete coincidence. Her parents had met the Scamanders plenty of times but she always ran off to Al's. Her parents let her. They knew how she'd rather be with her best friend than with strangers.

Then, at fifteen, she was strolling through Diagon Alley when she bumped into a blond guy. He grinned at her and she was immediately put at ease.

"Hello! I'm Lorcan Scamander. You must be Rose Weasley!"

She was momentarily disarmed to find that he knew her name, but was soothed when he added, "Come on. You're daughter of two-thirds of the Golden Trio. And my parents meet yours all the time."

So _that_'s why he knew her. She spoke up, "H-hi."

"_Finally _the mute one speaks."

She felt a rush of courage (or was it foolhardiness?) and stuck out her tongue. And from that day on, they became friends.

It was only at sixteen when Rose realised that she wanted so much more than simple friendship from Lorcan. She forgot all about her first heartbreak and threw herself into making him notice her. Then, for a while, it seemed like her endeavours had succeeded. He was shy and blushed when he spoke to her. So she decided to be brave and kiss him.

It was all planned out, down to the exact minute. As the time drew near, Rose readied herself to move forward. Then Lorcan spoke, "Rosie? I have to tell you something.'

_Perfect! _she thought. Now he'd admit to loving her.

"Rosie, you know I love you, right?"

She was exhilarated.

"That's why I hope you don't tell anyone that I'm in love with Dom."

Her hopes crashed down. Her heart broke and she ran away crying. She completely ignored his shouts for her to come back, because _another Weasley had stolen what was hers for the second time._

So Rose became an alien. She ignored Al's pleas to talk, she ignored Lorcan's pleas to _please listen, girl _and she ignored her family's attempts to get her working again. She threw herself even more into studying because studying was composed of cold, hard logic and cold, hard facts while the real world was hot and cold and bright and dark and _made no sense at all dammit_.

* * *

Somewhere along the line, she bumped into Scorpius Malfoy. He was different. He gave her chills and simply _intrigued_ her with his dark family and dark mind. He seemed fascinated by her too with his crooked grins and habit of leaning in whenever she spoke. After all, Rose Weasley was _loud _and there was no way he couldn't hear her.

Their families disapproved of their burgeoning almost-friendship and made their disapproval quickly known. Rose received a Howler from her father one day but she tossed it into Lorcan's oatmeal and almost gleefully watched the food erupt in his face. Scorpius received a Howler as well but he threw it at Dominique without a second glance.

After that incident, some had theories of whether they had orchestrated the Howler incident to ensure that the two that broke Rose Weasley's heart got burned. This soon became accepted as common consensus but only Rose and Scorpius knew the truth.

Later that night, in her dormitory, Rose went to sleep with a warm feeling that could only described as joy. This feeling was due to two things: Lorcan, as well as her _stupid, whorish _cousin, had gotten hurt and Scorpius had done something unasked for. For her. He didn't even shove it in her face in the days that followed.

Soon, with Scorpius, Rose and Al drifted apart. Al started hanging out more with his Quidditch "cronies" and Rose was happy to call Scorpius her best friend.

It was almost comical how she felt a growing attraction towards him in the end. It had already happened once; wouldn't the saying "_Once bitten twice shy_" be applicable? But no, Rose again threw all caution to the wind. Scorpius reacted to her and it was visible. Once or twice, he would stroke her cheek, leaving goosebumps all over her arms. Sometimes, he looked at her with an expression of such intensity that it took all her willpower not to shiver.

Caught up in her cocoon of complacence, she failed to notice covert glances thrown to Lily Potter while the latter responded in kind.

Finally, she could take it no more. Rose decided to invite him to her house for Christmas. Truth be told, he was apprehensive at first.

"Rose? Your family _hates _me. No, despises, loathes me. I'm a Malfoy."

"So what?"

He was stumped. And so he came with her.

The initial response was not exactly overwhelming at Nana Weasley's place, but it was acceptable. Everyone knew he was with Rose and fearing her wrath (who knew a well-placed Stinging Hex would be dangerous?) they tried to let him assimmilate. Funnily enough, it was Lily (Rose was _blind_) who first stepped forward to let him in and Lily, being innocent, sweet Lily, turned all the others to her point of view.

And so everything was, temporarily, perfect.

On Christmas Day, Rose woke up at the crack of dawn. She was planning on snogging the daylights out of her "boyfriend-in-training" under the mistletoe. She woke everyone up (she was the official waker-up on Christmas, no-one knew why) and they gathered around the Christmas tree to open their gifts. Everyone amassed a respectable pile, heck, even Scorpius got some stuff. In a mood of general contentedness they all headed up to start the day.

When Rose went up to the room she shared with Lily, she found a note written in Scorpius's cursive. It read:

_Come to the willow. 2 o'clock. Sharp.  
Love, Scorpo_

It was explicable that the word "Love" made her smile even though they used it when they signed off any note to each other. At 1.30 pm sharp (earlyearlyobliviousRose), Rose made her way to the willow tree. What she saw made her heart freeze and she ran away with tears streaming down her face. Because _Scorpius was kissing Lily and it was the **third time that a cousin of hers had stolen her love.**_

* * *

So Rose made a decision. Her heart had been broken thrice, not even third time lucky. Her life was good for nothing anyway, apart from giving others the sadistic pleasure of knowing that they had pinned her down. No-one would even miss her.

With her anger, she forgot to remember that she was part of a huge, loving family that would care for her no matter what. In those moments, all she could think of was Lily, Dom and Victoire. _They _had destroyed her. So they would pay with the knowledge that they were murderers.

* * *

Everyone said that Rose Weasley was fiery. That she burned with the flames of a thousand suns, that she felt too much. But she didn't care at first. When she loved, she gave her all. And this was her downfall.

_Avada Kedavra_

It was finally over.


End file.
